For years, inspectors for the Texas State Board of Barber Examiners (TSBBE) traveled to businesses throughout the state, wrote up their reports and eventually returned them to the office where a clerk would input the information into a computer system. Permits and licenses would follow pending the eventual approval of the report. That, to say the least, has changed dramatically.
These days the TSBBE sends its inspectors into the field brandishing handheld PCs. A special software program created for the agency by River Run Software Group holds a database with all of the information the inspectors might need, making their toughest choice whether they want to access information on inspection sites by ZIP code or by county. Inspectors send the results of site reviews back to the main office using either a wireless or dial-up modem connection. These reports are filed directly from the inspection site in realtime.
Mobile technology has eliminated paper forms, handwriting errors and duplicate data entry problems. The savings in both time and money have been dramatic.
"This system has freed our staff to do a lot of other duties," said Yvanne Shaw, a TSBBE accountant. "We have also been able to cut back on office staff, which is a direct savings of about $28,000 a year."
The board originally tried equipping its inspectors with standard laptop PCs, but the necessary software wasnt available. Therefore, the board still needed additional office staff to handle data entry requirements. Paper and pencil was being replaced in the field, but not with anything really helpful. Thats when River Run stepped in. River Run already had developed wireless communication systems for commercial giants such as Sears and United Airlines, and it figured there was no reason the same technology would not work for mobile government.
Using software called OnSite loaded onto PDAs, the company developed a database and application system that allowed TSBBE inspectors to go into the field with full wireless capability. Now inspectors with even very limited technology experience can easily access the proper database information, file reports and violation notices, and print information from the field without any manual data entry necessary at the home office.
TSBBE inspectors use Hewlett-Packard Jornada 690 handheld PCs with Sierra Wireless AirCards. Battery-powered Hewlett-Packard ink-jet printers link to the PDAs via an infrared port, allowing inspectors to print standard-size inspection reports.
Perhaps the biggest plus for this technology is the ease with which it allows communication to flow between the field and the main office. TSBBE has eight inspectors in the field every day, with each person visiting 15 to 20 shops. OnSite allows inspectors to easily search data on the shops they are evaluating, and check for assignment changes and other regular service scheduling aspects of their workday.
The system wasnt a home run on the first pitch. River Run provided a three-day training seminar, but not everyone got up to speed at the same time.
"There were varying levels of the learning curve," said Debbie Almasov, a TSBBE accountant. "Some of our inspectors learned pretty fast, others didnt. "
The agency also learned that geography plays a big part in whether or not the system can be fully wireless. Very remote areas can be out of range, much like a cell phone system, forcing the inspector to use a dial-up modem for access. It also took nearly a year to work all of the bugs out of the system, but overall there is no doubt that OnSite offers dramatic improvement over the previous method of data collection.
Making the Rounds
The success of wireless technology is not being lost on other municipalities. Governments around the country are considering using similar systems right now. Chicago intends to equip nearly 500 users with mobile devices as part of a citywide mobile inspection solution. The devices initially will go to field inspectors in the citys Department of Buildings, Fire Prevention Bureau and Department of Public Health.
Chicagos system will combine the activities of more than 15 city business units over the next three years, according to Hansen Information Technologies, which is providing the technology. Mobile workers will use PDAs running Microsofts Pocket PC operating system or laptop computers. The devices will link wirelessly to a central database. Digital cameras, portable printers and GPS capabilities will be included in some of the field inspection activities.
In addition, the California cities of San Carlos, San Bernadino, Santa Clara and San Leandro are among the jurisdictions that have piloted or will pilot wireless inspection systems within the next year.
The biggest conundrum to most governments is fitting such systems into the budget. A system like OnSite can cost $125,000 or more, so the dollars are a consideration. However, jurisdictions also expect wireless technology to reduce operating expenses. In Texas, for example, just the savings from eliminating one data entry staff position could pay for the system within five years, particularly when the cost of employee benefits, unemployment insurance and other related expenses are taken into consideration.
